Check out some delightful Valentine’s Day Class Party Ideas that take little prep and pack a huge amount of enjoyment in your little learners. After all, teachers have a lot on their plates and we want to help take things off instead of adding things on.
Delightful Valentine’s Day Class Party Structure
Over the years, I have found that by allowing my little learners to make self-selected choices in free-flowing centers, they are much happier and actually work much harder. For class celebrations and parties, we keep this structure. This means that I select one activity for each of my class tables. We have 6 tables, therefore, I provide 6 activities for our Valentine’s Day class party. Students can select what activity they want to go to, for how long they want to go to it, and when they leave. There is one exception to this, which I will explain as you keep reading.
One big key to a delightful Valentine’s Day Class party is providing a variety of activities. You don’t want to provide only food or only art or only one type of activity in each area. Of course, I must switch out activities or such each year based on the availability of items, food sensitivities, COVID restrictions, or such. This is why I am providing you with the best of the best activities from years past for you to make Valentine’s Class Party choices using. Check out these Valentine’s Day Class Party Ideas.
Candy Heart Stacking
A must-do activity in a Valentine’s Day Class Party Ideas is this simple heart-stacking game. One tip I must share is to not overthink what kids find fun. Keep your activities simple and your students will love them. Here is the perfect example. Grab some candy hearts and tweezers. Challenge students to use tweezers to make the highest tower. That is it.
You will be shocked by how hard this can be and how long some students choose to stay at this station. Students will also start to make up their own challenges and it is a joy to watch. We do not allow little learners to eat these candies, as we can not promise they are germ-free.
Heart Punch Art for a Valentine’s Day Class Party Ideas
Remember variety works right? We discovered so many of my little learners LOVED to use our little shape punches. Whenever we made class projects with these punches, they were always a hit. So why not just let my little learners make their own art project?! This station is super simple with just construction paper, heart-hand punches, and art supplies. Students can make placemats, Valentines, or whatever they want.
BINGO
It isn’t really a class party if you don’t play BINGO. There I said it. I feel like BINGO is a right of passage and something little learners have to play. I don’t remember where or who I got this BINGO set from, we have used it for years and years. When possible, we have a parent volunteer monitor this game. This is a must for sharing good Valentine’s Day Class Party Ideas.
Valentine’s Day Class Party Ideas Memory
Next, I highly suggest providing a game of memory to your Valentine’s Day Class Party. My little learners can not get enough of this simple game. They love it. We use a rule that says you can only get two matches before your turn is up, just to keep the game going.
To prepare, we took a large sheet of construction paper and folded it to make spaces. Then, we added simple lines. This really helps organize the game. Next, we use these two-sided heart pieces. I like them because they are THICK and you can’t see through them. If you choose another material for this game, consider this factor in the memory pieces.
Cookie Decorating
Cookie decorating (and devouring) is a class favorite. Each student gets to frost and decorates one heart cookie. Then, they get to eat their creation or put it in a baggie to save for later, if they choose. With COVID, we have extra precautions in place, so please know this photo is from past years.
Do you see the class list? This station is the exception to the free-flowing station policy. Students can come to this station when they choose, but they can only come once. We have a class list that we cross off when they get there so we know students don’t get more than one cookie.
Heart Candy Graph
Additionally, check out another class favorite! Each student gets their own pack of SweeTart hearts and they graph their collection onto this freebie graph printable. Of course, they get to eat these candies because they are the only one who has touched them.
You can grab this HUGE collection of SweeTart Heart Printables here.
Another Fine Motor Suggestion
If you can’t play the candy stacking game or need an alternative, I can’t recommend this simple making a set of 10 games enough. In a basket, add lots of Valentine’s color poms. Then, provide those same tweezers. Students make combinations of poms to make a set of ten into these Dollar Tree heart-themed ten frames. So simple and so much fun. Additionally, if you want to use this for math groups the week of Valentine’s, it works great.
Building Solid Shapes with Candy
Finally, here is a great math extension activity OR party game that is one great idea for Valentine’s Day Class Party Ideas. Students take gummy hearts and toothpicks to build cubes or other solid shapes. We like to do this with adult supervision when possible, so save this idea for when it fits your needs best. My little learners love to build and building with candy is the best. This station gets sticky, so provide baby wipes. And of course, we don’t eat this candy either. When we have enough, each student gets their own pieces to build with.
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